Too much warning?

This is a discussion on Too much warning? within the Carry & Defensive Scenarios forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; My GF thinks I have either done time in jail or that I am over-concerned because I lock the bedroom door. I tell her that ...

My GF thinks I have either done time in jail or that I am over-concerned because I lock the bedroom door. I tell her that it gives you more time to haul butt to the restroom that also has a lock, thus giving you more time to call 911 and get the gun ready. In Missouri City, these cops are so fast, by the time the perp gets back to his car and makes it to the nearest main street, half the police department is there. I sometimes love small town law enforcements.

In my Agency, we are specifically prohibited from firing warning shots. Verbal warnings/commands are required IF those commands will not put you (or anyone else) in increased danger. That sounds like a reasonable guideline for CCW as well...

A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands - love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper - his hands remember the rifle.

It is a mistake when you do the same thing twice. First, they came on my property without my permission. Twice, they came into my home without permission. I will activate all of their senses in an instant. They will SEE a blinding light, they will HEAR a very loud bang, they will SMELL burning gun powder, they will FEEL cold metal going thru their bodies, they will TASTE the carpet when they fall to the ground. All five will be activated at the same time.

.............I will activate all of their senses in an instant. They will SEE a blinding light, they will HEAR a very loud bang, they will SMELL burning gun powder, they will FEEL cold metal going thru their bodies, they will TASTE the carpet when they fall to the ground. All five will be activated at the same time.

And the Sixth Sense will show them a little boy that timidly says, ........"I see dead people....."...........

Edited to add:

I think we all have the right to protect our homes and our families, but I think we all want to spend some time thinking about the tactical, legal and emotional issues associated with an event such as this. Can we retreat to a secure location? How fast? Does a retreat add to or reduce the risks? Is a 911 call adding to or reducing the risks? How will the family feel about that possible stain on the floor, whether visible or emotional? How will the defense costs, if any, affect our families? There are a multitude more......

Given the variables, there are a lot of divergent answers on this thread, without a complete analysis of the situation (myself included ). Hence.......My wife and I are alone, sleep in the same room with our doors all securely locked (including the BR), and three large, loud dogs that bark at the slightest provocation. The room has decent defensive features and a telephone, hence my previous answer.

Sorry for the ranting here, folks.............

Last edited by Rock and Glock; January 22nd, 2007 at 10:46 PM.
Reason: Further elaboration............

"He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he was in reality a wolf of the Steppes. He had learned a good deal . . . and was a fairly clever fellow. What he had not learned, however, was this: to find contentment in himself and his own life. The cause of this apparently was that at the bottom of his heart he knew all the time (or thought he knew) that he was in reality not a man, but a wolf of the Steppes."

A few simple rules...

"Don't aim at anything you don't intend to destroy" - the floor didn't do anything wrong and won't return fire if you miss. The BG, on the other hand, ...

Colorado law lays it out very clearly - you have the right to absolute safety in your home.

Family comes first. Intruders don't get a say in the matter.

Home invasions are on the rise here in Colorado Springs (methamphetamine-driven, according to the experts).

Being mentally prepared is just as important as being accurate and putting the first two round on target. Trying to remember to enunciate clearly enough for a defense lawyer's cross exam isn't a priority. Concentrate on the task at hand

Think it through. Walk through it. Practice the draw/retrieval of the weapon. Clear each room. Protect your family. That's what counts.

OK, Reading back through this I sound a little tense, sorry. I am just sick at the thought of someone trying to harm my kids, my wife, or leave them without me in this world. I have very little tolerance for those who refuse to follow the most basic and simple rules society has about not harming others.

The only place I have been exposed to the "warning shot" concept was in corrections. My personal assessment was that it was taught as more of an aid in officer retention (as in if you shoot a homie, odds are good someone will offer a bounty on you). Legally, its pretty much a dead end- not to mention it would really stink to hit a gas line under your floor........

If I had a shot gun and if it could be done safely, I think I'd keep it in condition 1 -- no need to "pump" it. In the case of a burglary and in general, I'm not sure if it ever helps to let a BG know you're armed other than by -- well -- shooting him (clearly only if your life is in danger!).

Regarding Condition 1 carry, I'm not sure it's really all that safe. The safeties on most shotguns only disengage the trigger, they don't block the hammer or firing pin. This means that they're generally not drop safe, so I don't think I'd want to store one that way. In addition, some shotguns will fire if you have the trigger pulled when you disengage the safety (in contrast, most pistols and military rifles won't do this). You need to be conscious of where the your trigger finger is when taking off the safety (of course, you always need to be conscious of where you trigger finger is). I'd probably go with 'loaders safe' (full magazine tube, empty chamber, hammer forward) rather than condition 1 for a self defense shotgun. It's not going to take much longer to cycle the action than it is to flip off a safety, and it's probably safer. That said, I'm certainly not going to wait for the BG to get within audible racking range before putting a shell in the chamber.

Originally Posted by ayan

In each situation, I wanted to interject, "NO! DON'T SHOOT THE FLOOR," and, "NO! DON'T TRY TO SCARE THEM WITH THE PUMP SHOTGUN SOUND".

Would I have been wrong?

Definitely not wrong on the warning shot. Bullets will go though quite a lot of plywood, so that warning shot could take out someone on the floor below, or it could ricochet and strike the returning husband.

If an intruder breaks in I am expecting him to be armed with intent to harm my family. He sees cars in the driveway, therefore he knows someone is home. I pray the situation never occurs, but if it does, I will eliminate him. What if there are more than 1 intruder? You need to keep the element of surprise.

When I asked the question about warning a BG in my house the response was: "put at least two rounds in him, there is no extra paperwork because you shot him twice, then put one in the cealing and call that one a warning shot." If someone is going to break into your house they are ready for violence. You have to be ready to meet this threat.